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Kingston committee backs state Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act and asks council to memorialize support
Summary
The committee reviewed an informational presentation from Climate Smart Kingston and the Conservation Advisory Council and voted to forward a memorializing resolution supporting the state Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (Senate bill 1464, Assembly bill 1749).
The Laws & Rules Committee on May 21 heard from Climate Smart Kingston and the city’s conservation adviser about proposed state legislation known locally as the New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act and voted to forward a memorializing resolution urging the council to support the bills.
Julie Joy, identified in the meeting as the conservation adviser and a presenter for Climate Smart Kingston, described the legislation as an updated extended producer responsibility approach that targets plastic packaging and sets reduction and reuse/recycling targets. Joy said the bills aim to reduce plastic packaging by about 30% over 12 years, require a portion of remaining packaging to be reusable or recyclable, prohibit certain uses of the term “chemical recycling” and ban 17 listed toxic chemicals including PFAS in packaging.
Joy told the committee the bills also create producer responsibilities to fund municipal recycling infrastructure; she said municipalities would receive money from producers to help pay for collection and processing. Committee members asked about the bills’ scope and whether the law would apply to companies that ship into New York; Joy said she could not fully determine the extraterritorial reach but compared the effect to California standards that become de facto national standards because of market size.
Council members who spoke expressed support, noted momentum for the bills in Albany, and suggested the memorializing resolution should name local sponsors. One member said the bills had advanced through committee and that “it may come to the floor before the end of session in a few weeks.” The committee read a resolution in support of “the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, Senate bill 1464, and Assembly bill 1749,” a motion and second were recorded and members voted “aye.” No opposition was recorded.
The committee did not enact local law; the action is a referral/recommendation that the Common Council memorialize support for the state bills and circulate that position to legislators and stakeholders.
